Saturday, February 12, 2011

Lyly-Yrjanainen, Nadler Win 27Ks at VASA

Jukka Lyly-Yrjanainen, 45, of Elk Grove Village, won the 27K Classic, and Andrew Nadler, 16, of Chicago, won the 27K Freestyle on Saturday at the North American Vasa races in Acme, MI, next to Traverse City. Jukka (the Finn-Hook guy!) won his race in 1:40:18, nine seconds ahead of runner-up Jim Harrington, also 45, of Petoskey, MI, who finished in 1:40:27. Nadler, a CXC skier and a sophomore at Latin School, won the freestyle race in 1:25:21. Second-place went to Ryan Halstead, 23, of Grayling, MI, in 1:25:39. Ring those cowbells! Two Illinois wins at the Vasa is really something! Congrats to both. 50K and 12K races also were held. Illinois skiers did not win them!